Iron Man Match Cements MJF as AEW’s Top Star

Maxwell J. Friedman took down Bryan Danielson in an epic Iron Man match that lasted for over an hour.

Sixty minutes wasn’t enough.

Maxwell J. Friedman and Bryan Danielson wrestled for a full hour at the Revolution pay-per-view, then continued the bout in sudden death overtime. The match ended with Danielson tapping out to the Lebell Lock, as MJF used Danielson’s signature move against him.

It wasn’t entirely clean, as the finish occurred shortly after MJF drilled Danielson in the head with an oxygen tank, but it accomplished its objective: illustrating that MJF could outlast Danielson in an Iron Man match.

Danielson (again) did what CM Punk was supposed to do. In this case, that was elevating MJF to the next level.

Here are the results:

• Ricky Starks defeated Chris Jericho
• “Jungle Boy” Jack Perry defeated Christian Cage in a casket match
• The House of Black defeated The Elite to win the trios titles
• AEW women’s champion Jamie Hayter defeated Ruby Soho and Saraya in a triple threat match
• Hangman Adam Page defeated Jon Moxley in a Texas Death Match
• Wardlow defeated Samoa Joe to win the TNT championship
• The Gunns defended the tag team titles in a four-way match against The Acclaimed, Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal, and Orange Cassidy and Danhausen
• AEW champion MJF defeated Bryan Danielson in a 60-minute Iron Man match

The pay-per-view offered matches that ranged from solid to spectacular. There were some predictable finishes—Samoa Joe will be spending his time in Ring of Honor, making the TNT title change to Wardlow an inevitability—but that did not mean that the finishes weren’t the right calls. Ricky Starks needed the win against Chris Jericho, and he got it—just as it was necessary for Jungle Boy to finally overcome Christian Cage.

In the opener, Starks defeated Jericho cleanly. This was exactly what it needed to be, with Starks winning in a decisive manner. Credit to Jericho for ensuring that Starks would shine. Jericho is a legend whose status is not affected by a win or a loss, but Starks desperately needed this victory. It elevates him back into the title picture, where he should resume chasing MJF.

The Jungle Boy/Christian Cage storyline was unfortunately interrupted when Christian needed time away following an injury. But the conclusion finally took place at Revolution in a casket match (a stipulation that feels hollow without The Undertaker). This was a much-needed victory for Jungle Boy. As a heel, Christian can work with practically anyone on the roster, but watching where Jungle Boy progresses from here—some gold would serve him well, but which title?—will be especially interesting.

New trios champions were crowned when The House of Black defeated The Elite. This was phenomenal, and up until the main event, the match of the night. The Elite dropping the trios titles opens up a world of possibility for AEW. Kenny Omega needs to be back in the mix for the world title. The Young Bucks’ absence from the tag division has left a void. And with FTR now back, there is a necessity to book Bucks-FTR again before FTR’s contracts are up in April. My only concern is how the trios titles will be treated. The House of Black is unlike any other entity in pro wrestling, and this could be an outstanding run if they are put in the right position to succeed.

The lone women’s match on the card also included a finish that was expected, as Jamie Hayter (rightfully) retained her title in a triple threat match against Saraya and Ruby Soho. The story line advanced, as Soho turned on Hayter and Dr. Britt Baker after the match, forming an alliance with Saraya and Storm. Even though Saraya is the bigger star, I still have a hard time seeing Storm playing a secondary role in this faction. Also, would it be better for Hayter if she were instead wrestling a heel Baker as opposed to working with her as a babyface? Hayter is, by far, the most popular wrestler in the women’s division, so AEW should go all-in on her reign.

This card offered a piece of everything, including unadulterated violence. That came in the form of the Texas Deathmatch pitting Jon Moxley against “Hangman” Adam Page, which was gory and bloody (and even included Moxley hitting a curb stomp on a brick). Beneath all the blood and guts, this program was designed to re-establish Page in the main event, a place he has not been since dropping the world title last spring to CM Punk. Moxley made Page look like a relentless force, and the submission victory is absolutely what Page needed.

The low moment on the card took place after the Texas Deathmatch. Perhaps this was unavoidable, as a match like that should typically headline a show. Wardlow and Samoa Joe shouldered the responsibility of bringing life to this spot, but it just felt flat—and the match was not helped by the fact that Joe will be spending his time in Ring of Honor, meaning that a title change was coming. Wardlow was victorious, regaining the TNT title—creating a chance to rewrite a wrong considering his last title run failed to resonate. Wardlow is extremely talented, and it will be worth watching to see what he does the second time around, beginning this week on Dynamite against Powerhouse Hobbs in a match that could have (should have?) been built into a pay-per-view encounter.

A genuine surprise was watching The Gunns retain the tag team titles. This took place in a four-way match, which initially seemed odd because it just muddied the waters of The Acclaimed regaining the belts. But it made a lot more sense when the Gunns pinned Danhausen for the win. I don’t know who is eager to see the Gunns extend their run, especially with The Acclaimed so popular. After the match, FTR made a surprise return and laid out the Gunns, announcing their intent to win back their titles.

The main event made perfect sense. Danielson had the chance to bleed in ways he couldn’t even dream of in WWE, and MJF played his role as villain in sensational fashion. The finishes were creative, too. After Danielson hit the Busaiku knee kick to win the first fall, MJF got himself disqualified with a low blow—then made successful consecutive pinfalls.

This went down to the wire tied at three falls. In the final two minutes, MJF hit a Tombstone piledriver off the second rope, but he came up short in the pinfall. Danielson had a submission locked in as time expired, but MJF did not tap. That led to overtime, where a combination of breaking the rules and a world-class ability to wrestle—again, this match made sense—propelled MJF to victory.

Revolution was an extremely entertaining pay-per-view. It sets the table for AEW’s future, with Wardlow, Jamie Hayter and FTR all playing key roles. The window reopens for Ricky Starks to pursue the world title, and if The Elite is no longer challenging for the trios titles, then that also allows a whole new slate of possibilities for Kenny Omega and the Bucks. The card ultimately hit its objective, which was cementing MJF as the top player in AEW.

Justin Barrasso can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.